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The traveler in me is the most loved or most hated quality I possess, depending on who you ask.

Why the fook are the car's reverse lights going on as it runs up on the rocks? Cuz it stops faster in reverse?

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Advanced pancreatic cancer found 04/2010. Have outlived +/- 97% of patients with this diagnosis, but 08/2013 cancer now in liver, vascular system and lungs with 20+ lung tumors. Sick/weak sometimes, not riding much. No more treatments & now under Hospice care.

There is an alternate dirt route between Robbinsville NC and Tellico Plains TN. There is an intersection right at the bottom of the Skyway on the North Carolina side where you can turn right to go to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest that has a dirt road immediately to the left called Santeelah Creek Road that continues up the mountain and crosses under the Cherohala Skyway at Stratton Meadows. As it drops off to the south of the Skyway it becomes North River Road and comes out on River Road along the Tellico River. Turn right and you will come out on the Cherohala Skyway leading into Tellico Plains. I don't know the condition of the road since the heavy rains, but it might be kind of rough in places. My wife and I usually ride the Cherohala Skyway one way and take Santeelah Creek/North River road going the other way. The paved way is 50 miles, and the dirt way is 30 miles.

There is an alternate dirt route between Robbinsville NC and Tellico Plains TN. There is an intersection right at the bottom of the Skyway on the North Carolina side where you can turn right to go to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest that has a dirt road immediately to the left called Santeelah Creek Road that continues up the mountain and crosses under the Cherohala Skyway at Stratton Meadows. As it drops off to the south of the Skyway it becomes North River Road and comes out on River Road along the Tellico River. Turn right and you will come out on the Cherohala Skyway leading into Tellico Plains. I don't know the condition of the road since the heavy rains, but it might be kind of rough in places. My wife and I usually ride the Cherohala Skyway one way and take Santeelah Creek/North River road going the other way. The paved way is 50 miles, and the dirt way is 30 miles.

yellow,
Like you say, take Forest Service Road 81 as shown on the map above to get to Tellico Plains on gravel assuming it is ok. It will be getting a lot of traffic while the Cherohala is down.
Too bad the washout is west of Stratton Meadow since traffic could get back on the Skyway if it was east of Stratton Meadow. Traffic from Tellico can take River Road and get on the Skyway at Stratton and go to R'ville.